ST. LOUIS – The sweltering heat in St. Louis took a toll on the Cincinnati Reds as they faced off against the Cardinals on Friday night, the temperature soaring to 95 degrees. The Reds suffered a 6-1 defeat, which was compounded by an injury to pitcher Wade Miley, who will leave a gaping hole in the starting rotation.
In the wake of Miley’s elbow injury, left-hander Brent Suter is slated to step in for a bullpen day on Saturday, marking an adjustment for the team’s pitching strategy. Also joining the roster is rookie Chase Petty, who was with the club on the taxi squad and may see action in the coming game as a starter or for bulk innings.
During the game, the Reds’ bullpen struggled notably, allowing five runs in a disastrous seventh inning, which involved three different relievers and an infield error. Manager Terry Francona expressed disappointment but remained optimistic about his bullpen’s readiness for Saturday’s game.
“We gave them extra opportunities, and that rarely ends well,” Francona noted, reflecting on the crucial plays that shifted momentum in the game.
Despite the loss, Reds veteran Brady Singer showed resilience, delivering his third quality start in the past four outings and allowing just one run over six innings. His performance included shutting down Cardinal hitters after they reached base in scoring positions.
Cardinals starter Andre Pallante managed to keep the Reds offense at bay, departing the game after 6.1 innings. The only inning the Reds made significant progress was in the third, with a single from Matt McLain, who extended his hitting streak to eight games.
With their loss Friday, the Reds fell two games behind the Cardinals in the standings, marking a challenging stretch as they now sit at 10-14 in the division, showing promising performance only against last-place Pittsburgh.
The Reds will look to bounce back this weekend, demonstrating resilience in the face of recent challenges, as the team continues to navigate through injuries and competitive division play.